Rekindled
by reeleffendeel
Summary: 8 years after Nerv was able to prevent the 3rd Impact, Misato Katsuragi reflects on the past and all that's happened since then. Then, out of the blue, a man she never thought she would see again appears before her. Post EoE AU, based on the alternate ending to Amazing Spider-man 2.


**What's happening everybody?**

 **This is my 2** **nd** **Evangelion story, a Misato x Kaji one at that! Has everyone else noticed that there are very few fics on this site regarding this couple?**

 **The main inspiration for this was obviously based on the alternate ending to Amazing Spider-man 2. That scene has been stuck in my head for a while and I always wanted to do a fic based on that.**

 **Don't expect anything Oscar worthy, I just wrote what came to mind so don't expect anything equal to the quality of the anime.**

 **Enjoy!**

 **Evangelion belongs to its respective owners. I do not own it.**

* * *

Rekindled

Winter had finally come to Japan even after the 2nd Impact had drastically changed earth's weather patterns. An old Renault Alpine costed through the deserted highways along the Japanese countryside. After a while on the road, it finally stopped at an overlook. The engine shut itself off and it's occupant exited the vehicle.

Misato Katsuragi, former Operations Director at Nerv and now aged 37, walked over to the edge of the overlook which now had a bench sitting near it. She looked at the massive crater that used to be Tokyo-3. She let out a sigh as she looked up to the clouds.

It had been 8 long years since Nerv had prevented the 3rd Impact, even though their original objective was to start it. A lot had happened in those years.

By some miracle, Shinji and Asuka had managed to destroy Seele's Mass Production Eva units and save the whole world for that matter. It was also a miracle that she was still alive. Who would've thought that it would be Ritsuko who would save her life?

From what she had heard from her, Gendo was about to shoot her when Rei suddenly tried to force the gun out of his hands, which gave Ritsuko enough time to put a bullet in between the madman's eyes. She would always say that it was the hardest thing she ever had to do but did not regret it. Gendo had to be stopped. Apparently Rei had somehow managed to regain her memories of the previous Rei who was killed during the battle against the 17th Angel. After that happened, Ritsuko actually pointed out the location to a safe room where Rei could wait out the JSSDF/Seele siege.

Once Rei was safe, Ritsuko used camera footage from a security booth to locate Misato and bring her to a ward where she could be treated for her gunshot wound. She remembered waking up in the hospital wing of Nerv where she had been briefed on everything that had happened: the JSSDF had been driven off and Seele's' plans had been stopped.

Misato felt the area of her abdomen where she had been shot. It was one more scar she had to live with.

After spending several days in the hospital, she was finally and tearfully reunited with Shinji and Asuka. She remembered profusely apologizing to the both of them for abandoning them in her pursuit of the truth. But they told her that didn't matter, they were just happy she was alive.

After everything had settled down, Misato gave Fuyutsuki the microchip that contained the truth about the 2nd Impact and Seele. It was later given to the UN and after they had learned everything from it, they initiated a worldwide manhunt for the cult that plotted the extinction of the human race. Soon, all of their members were arrested while the council, including their leader Lorenz Keel, had been captured and sentenced to death for attempted mass genocide.

With no one to initiate the 3rd impact and all of the Angels defeated, Nerv was shut down and all of its technology would be distributed to other governments that could benefit from them. Units 1 and 2 had completely shut down, their respective cores completely disintegrated. Shinji and Asuka told Misato that after the battle, they were able to meet with their mothers one last time and said their goodbyes.

Soon, everyone moved on in their own ways.

Maya, Shigeru and Makoto pursued outside interests but still remain in contact with each other.

Fuyutsuki was working with the UN to help clear up some remaining mysteries about the Dead Sea Scrolls.

Ritsuko was also working with Fuyutsuki as well. While Misato and Ritsuko's friendship had been strained, they were slowing beginning to repair it day by day.

Rei was now fully human after the last of her Angel DNA had been purged in a medical operation by Ritsuko. She was now starting to act like a real human being complete with emotions. They had never seen or smile or look genuinely happy before in their lives.

Asuka had a complete turnaround in terms of attitude. She no longer saw herself as being better than everyone else and had torn down the iron wall she had set up around her heart. She apologized for giving everybody a hard time and swore that she would never again close herself off from others.

Shinji was finally able to shed his feeling of self-inadequacy and matured into a fine young man. Misato couldn't have been more proud of him and she had dedicated her life to being the real family he never had. She remembered speaking to him in private about the kiss she gave him when the JSSDF invaded. Shinji, now wiser and more understanding, understood that it wasn't anything consensual and that he didn't hold anything against Misato for it. Needless to say, it made her feel tremendously relived.

As the years went by, life seemed to go on for all of them but there was always one person that she would always miss and hold close to her heart: Ryoji Kaji. There were times when she wished she could go back and stop herself from continually pushing him away. Sure he reminded her of her late father and he would tease her a bit but he was the reason why they were all still alive and why Seele was no more. At least he did not die in vain.

The sun broke through the clouds and shone across the snow covered landscape and small flecks of snow slowly cascaded from the sky. Misato smiled. This was a sign that the future shown brighter than it ever had. Checking her watch, she noted that it was getting close to lunchtime and remembered that Shinji was cooking something big for Asuka, Rei, his classmates and Ritsuko who was coming over. She was just about to turn around and head back to her car-

"Misato." She heard someone say.

She froze. That voice sounded familiar. _Too_ familiar. Ever so slowly she turned around back to her car to the source of the voice.

Her eyes widened. She quietly gasped as her mouth slightly opened. Her heart skipped a beat.

There, standing before her, was Ryoji Kaji in the flesh. _Alive._

He was wearing a winter coat like she wore but the one thing she took into account was how different he looked in both attitude and appearance. He had grown a full beard and he no longer had a ponytail. There was no trace of his sly, cocky attitude; the man looked emotionally drained.

"I didn't want to frighten you." He admitted solemnly. He held out a hand to her as he struggled to find the right words to say to her. Eventually, he turned his gaze to the ground and his hand made a flexing motion. It was as if he was too ashamed of showing himself to say anything.

He sighed and took a step towards her-

"Stay there. Stay right there. Don't move." Misato demanded. He sopped I his tracks. Kaji could tell that she was _not_ happy.

"Okay…I would like to tell you a few things if that's alright." He said. "I know this is impossible to understand, Misato. I thought I knew what to say but I don't. I don't know what to say to you except that I'm sorry. It's me. It's me, Misato and I'm sorry."

Unfortunately it seemed to have the opposite effect as Misato looked at him with contempt and shook her head. "You're not Kaji."

"It _is_ me, Misato. I just want you to listen to me-"

"Kaji is dead!"

"Misato, listen to me-"

"HE'S DEAD! _WHO ARE YOU_?!" She yelled as she pointed a finger at him.

"I had to disappear and I'm sorry. You have to understand that. I had to disappear to keep you safe. It was the only way-" Kaji was interrupted when Misato lurched forward and grabbed him by his shoulders.

"WHAT?! WHAT?! SAY IT! _**SAY WHAT YOU WANT TO SAY! WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY?! WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN?!"**_ Misato shrilled as she furiously shook him. After a couple of seconds, her rage started to dissipate until it had been replaced with sadness. Tears started to run down her cheeks as he stared into her supposedly deceased lovers eyes. "You're….you're dead…."

"I'm not dead, Misato. I had to die to keep you alive. I had to disappear to keep you, Ritsuko, Shinji, Asuka and everyone else safe." Kaji gently explained as he held Misato by her arms. "I had to fake my own death to give you the truth and keep Gendo from hurting you. Do you understand what I'm saying? There was no other way to keep you safe."

Misato scrunched her eyes shut as more tears leaked from them. She was on the verge of having an emotional breakdown.

"Misato." She heard Kaji say as she felt him cup her cheeks with his hands. She opened her eyes and saw that he was on the verge of crying.

"I'm sorry…..I am _so_ sorry." He whispered as his voice started to waver.

Misato enveloped him and a tight hug as she buried her face into his shoulders while Kaji did the same. Misato began to cry loudly, her voice breaking the serene silence of the overlook.

He was alive.

* * *

SEVERAL MINUETS LATER

After letting all of their emotions out and thoroughly drying out their tear ducts, Misato and Kaji sat down on the bench and looked out into the distance.

"How did you survive?" She asked.

"When you've been in the espionage business like I have, you learn how to plan ahead. Turns out my assassin was a Section 2 goon. When he shot me several times, he dragged my body off to the sewage plant and dumped my body there. Good thing he wasn't smart enough to check that I was wearing a bulletproof vest with several fake blood packets. Fell for it hook, line and sinker." He revealed a small grin on his face.

Misato quietly chuckled.

"After I made my escape from there, I secretly exfiltrated my way out of Japan and went back to the UN. By the time I finally made it to them, you guys were already under attack. I wanted to go back there but my superiors told me it would've been too late. I prayed for a miracle and I got it: You all won."

"But what took you so long? Didn't you want to come back?" Misato wondered.

Kaji looked downcast. "Believe me, I wanted to. But the UN still needed my help. After Fuyutsuki delivered the microchip to them they needed my help in tracking down Seele and anybody else loyal to them. I couldn't even meet with Kozo so I couldn't tell him I was alive. It shouldn't have taken this long to get back to you all and I'm sorry."

Misato gently placed her hand on his, a sign that she understood. The two of them sat in silence for a little bit.

"I know what it's like to lose everything you love…and how we both speak for the dead. If we had both lost hope before, then Seele or Gendo really would have won. Your father gave up his life to save yours while my brother and my friends died for nothing. I can't come to terms with a world like that." Kaji admitted.

Misato looked down at her feet as the memory of her father's sacrifice replayed itself in her mind. "All this time I've fought the Angels to avenge his death. Then I found out that it was actually my own kind that stole him away from me. Everything's over and while everyone has moved on, I can't. I don't know how to go on without him."

She felt Kaji wrap and arm around her shoulder. "You don't." He said. She looked at him with surprise. "You take him with you."

Misato could feel warmth flooding throughout her body as she softly smiled at Kaji. He too began to smile.

"I'm not the same man I used to be, Misato. I used to be arrogant…arrogant enough to believe that it was my destiny to uncover the truth about the 2nd Impact and stop Seele. But somehow, after everything I did to try and reveal the truth, it still found its way to the only person on earth who could possibly unlock it." He explained as he looked at Misato. "And I realize now that maybe it was never my destiny to do any of that…it's yours."

Misato felt a tear roll down her cheek as she tightened her grip on Kaji's hand.

"You know…Asuka and Ritsuko are over at my apartment. They're probably gonna flip if you decide to meet them."

"Heh. Yeah. I'll come with you even though they might."

The two of them turned back to the snowy, sunlit landscape and scooted closer to each other. Kaji then finally said the words that he wanted to say to her after so many years.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

THE END

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 **There you have it folks! A short and simple story! Hope you liked it! Could you imagine Misato's voice actors giving a performance like this?**

 **I didn't want to go into too much detail about what had happened in the past so I hoped it was condensed.**

 **Believe it or not, this was originally going to be a post 3.0 Shinji and Misato fic that would've gone the same way as the alternate ending. I eventually decided that Kaji would be a better choice. Don't expect me to make and alternate version of this story based on my original 3.0 idea but if you guys want to make something similar to this then go ahead!**

 **Forgive me if Kaji's explanation on how he survived was farfetched but I was just trying to emulate the pacing and feel of the ending. Also, the part where he mentions his brother and his friends was a reference to the manga.**

 **With that being said, thanks for giving my story a look!**

 **Don't forget to review but please don't flame.**


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